How Do You Do It?

So often, Sherry & I are asked "How do you do it?" in reference to sustaining the amount of business we have and continuing to grow it. This question comes from fellow agents, lenders, clients & friends. Often we reply, "We just do it." But that's not a sufficient explanation. So I offer this to you now, a glimpse at how we do what we do in the hope that you can take some of this advice and implement it in your business &/or practice.

Understanding Our Roles

First and foremost, we understand our roles very clearly within each transaction. Within each transaction our roles can change based on who the client is. Sherry & I have defined our roles clearly & if there is a question, we communicate. Yes, we are partners, but in every team there is a leader & without a question, Sherry is the boss. (Ask anyone who has ever met her, she's clearly in charge. Always.) I understand this, I accept it, and I actually prefer it (most of the time).

Just Say No

There are times that we have to say no to clients. Albeit, it's not often, however, sometimes we just can't provide the service our clients want or we aren't willing to take on a client with unrealistic expectations. Being able to say "No, that won't work for us" is an important part of our business. We take on what we can manage & we decline the opportunities that won't be a good match.

Communication

We are in constant communication. When my phone rings, 9 times out of 10, it's my mom. And 8 times out of those 10, it's a call relating to work. (The other one is usually about Biscuit.) We are on the same page with regard to all of our clients & transactions. We are copied on all emails so we are always in the loop.

Organization

You want to know the secret to our success? (Or one of the secrets) We are extremely organized. Sherry still uses a paper planner (a free planner she gets from the title company so it's nothing overly fancy). While I've tried dragging her, kicking & screaming into the 21st century, she always reverts back to her trusty paper planner. I have come to accept this, as difficult as it is for me, a self-proclaimed technology addict. I use a Google calendar & a Dates & Deadlines spreadsheet that one of my wonderful co-workers helped set up for me. Nothing fancy & nothing costly, I'm just diligent at recording everything & checking both multiple times a day.

Systems

We have systems in place for everything. Listing appointments, writing offers, after acceptance of offers, scheduling appointments, marketing, doing paperwork & more. These systems have saved us so much time. Yes, they take a little time to put into practice, but once you have them down, it's smooth sailing!

Work With The Best

So, if you haven't figured it out by now, let me reiterate how wonderful our support system is to work with. From the lenders we prefer to work with (because they're the best in the business & just get it done), to the home inspectors, to our First Weber management team & administrator, our business can't operate smoothly unless we work with the best of the best. And guess what, we do. We've cultivated a group of people who excel at their jobs & we partner with them & recommend them to our clients. Our partners are a direct reflection of us, so if they aren't performing, then we aren't performing, so we are very thoughtful & careful when we provide contacts to our clients, co-workers & friends.

The Goal

My hope is that this overview can get your started or keep you going if you're just getting started and/or looking to grow your business. If you have questions or comments, feel free to reach out. Again, this is an overview & there is no substitute for diligent hard work, excellent client care & straight up knowledge about our field. But here are a few secrets to our success & my sincere hope is that they help you to succeed in your own field, whatever it may be!

Stay in touch!

Amy Lessing - lessinga@firstweber.com - 314-488-3216

Sherry Lessing - lessings@firstweber.com - 608-212-1555